Joint Stiffness Influence on the First-Order Seismic Capacity of Dry-Joint Masonry Structures: Numerical DEM Investigations

Heritage masonry structures are often modelled as dry-jointed structures. On the one hand, it may correspond to reality where initial mortar was weak, missing, or has disappeared through time because of erosion and lixiviation. other this modelling approach reduces complexity studied problem, both from an experimental theoretical/numerical point views, while being conservative. Still, for purposes, in addition joint friction, numerical approaches require a specific elastic parameter, dry-joint stiffness, which is hard estimate experimentally. This work numerically investigates effect stiffness on collapse scaled-down tilting test experiments carried out perforated shear walls. It found that geometrical imperfections bricks absence vertical precompression load can lead very low equivalent strongly affects results, terms damage limit state (DLS) loads, with practical implications engineering practice.